Surgical microscope with integrated optical coherence tomography and display systems

ABSTRACT

An ophthalmic surgical microscope includes a beam coupler positioned along an optical path of the surgical microscope between a first eyepiece and magnifying/focusing optics, the beam coupler operable to direct the OCT imaging beam along a first portion of the optical path of the surgical microscope between the beam coupler and a patient&#39;s eye (an OCT image being generated based on a reflected portion of the OCT imaging beam). The surgical microscope additionally includes a real-time data projection unit operable to project the OCT image generated by the OCT system and a beam splitter positioned along the optical path of the surgical microscope between a second eyepiece and the magnifying/focusing optics. The beam splitter is operable to direct the projected OCT image along a second portion of the optical path of the surgical microscope between the beam splitter and the second eyepiece such that the projected OCT image is viewable through the second eyepiece.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.14/824,473, filed Aug. 17, 2015, titled “SURGICAL MICROSCOPE WITHINTEGRATED OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY AND DISPLAY SYSTEMS,” (nowallowed), the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in itsentirety.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to surgical microscopes forophthalmic surgeries and, more particularly, to a surgical microscopewith integrated optical coherence tomography (OCT) and display systems.

BACKGROUND

Ophthalmic surgeons often rely on surgical microscopes during ophthalmicsurgical procedures to see fine details of a patient's eye. One class ofophthalmic surgeries, the vitreo-retinal procedure, involves vitrectomy,the removal of the vitreous body from the posterior chamber to accessthe retina. The successful execution of vitrectomy requires anessentially complete removal of the vitreous, including the mostchallenging regions near the vitreous base. Due to the transparentnature of the vitreous, performing a vitrectomy relying on only aconventional surgical microscope for visualization may be challenging.

To assist in visualization, surgeons may rely on pre-surgical opticalcoherence tomography (OCT) imaging. OCT imaging is a technique thatenables visualization of the target tissue in depth by focusing a laserbeam onto the target, collecting the reflected beam, interfering thereflected beam with a reference beam and detecting the interference, andmeasuring the reflectance signature within the depth of focus of thebeam. The result is a line scan in depth, a cross-sectional scan, or avolumetric scan. During a surgical procedure, a surgeon may referencethe previously-generated OCT scan to assist in visualization. However,systems providing real-time, intra-surgical OCT imaging to assist invisualization remain lacking.

SUMMARY

In certain embodiments, an ophthalmic surgical microscope includes abeam coupler positioned along an optical path of the ophthalmic surgicalmicroscope between a first eyepiece and magnifying/focusing optics, thebeam coupler operable to direct the OCT imaging beam along a firstportion of the optical path of the surgical microscope between the beamcoupler and a patient's eye (an OCT image being generated based on aportion of the OCT imaging beam reflected by a patient's eye). Theophthalmic surgical microscope additionally includes a real-time dataprojection unit operable to project the OCT image generated by the OCTsystem and a beam splitter positioned along the optical path of theophthalmic surgical microscope between a second eyepiece and themagnifying/focusing optics. The beam splitter is operable to direct theprojected OCT image along a second portion of the optical path of thesurgical microscope between the beam splitter and the second eyepiecesuch that the projected OCT image is viewable through the secondeyepiece.

Certain embodiments of the present disclosure may provide one or moretechnical advantages. For example, integrating the OCT system with theophthalmic surgical microscope as described herein may allow the OCTscan range to be automatically adjusted as a surgeon manipulates themicroscope field of view via the magnifying/focusing optics of themicroscope, thus simplifying the surgery by reducing the number ofadjustments the surgeon needs to make. Additionally, integrating thedisplay system (referred to as a real-time data projection unit) in themanner described herein may allow a surgeon to view OCT images generatedby the OCT system through the eyepiece(s) of the ophthalmic surgicalmicroscope, thus eliminating the need for the surgeon to look away fromthe patient's eye to view a separate display monitor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure and theadvantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptiontaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which likereference numerals indicate like features and wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary ophthalmic surgical microscope havingintegrated OCT and display systems, according to certain embodiments ofthe present disclosure;

FIGS. 2A-2B illustrate embodiments of the ophthalmic surgical microscopedepicted in FIG. 1 having switchable single channel data injection,according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of the ophthalmic surgical microscopedepicted in FIG. 1 having two-channel data injection, according tocertain embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the ophthalmic surgicalmicroscope depicted in FIG. 1 having two-channel data injection,according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure; and

FIGS. 5A-5C illustrate embodiments of the ophthalmic surgical microscopedepicted in FIG. 1 having two-channel data injection with 3-Dperception, according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

The skilled person in the art will understand that the drawings,described below, are for illustration purposes only. The drawings arenot intended to limit the scope of the applicant's disclosure in anyway.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of thepresent disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodimentsillustrated in the drawings, and specific language will be used todescribe the same. It should nevertheless be understood that nolimitation of the scope of the disclosure is intended. Any alterationsand further modifications to the described systems, devices, andmethods, and any further application of the principles of the presentdisclosure are fully contemplated as would normally occur to one skilledin the art to which the disclosure relates. In particular, it is fullycontemplated that the systems, devices, and/or methods described withrespect to one embodiment may be combined with the features, components,and/or steps described with respect to other embodiments of the presentdisclosure. For the sake of brevity, however, the numerous iterations ofthese combinations will not be described separately. For simplicity, insome instances the same reference numbers are used throughout thedrawings to refer to the same or like parts.

In general, the present disclosure may provide a surgical microscopewith integrated OCT and display systems. The integrated OCT system maybe coupled to the optical path of the microscope optics at a pointbetween the magnifying/focusing optics of the microscope and an eyepieceof the microscope. As a result, the OCT scan range may be automaticallyadjusted as a surgeon manipulates the microscope field of view via themagnifying/focusing optics of the microscope. The display system(referred to herein as a real-time data projection unit) may also becoupled to the optical path of the surgical microscope such that the OCTimages generated by the OCT system may be viewed by a surgeon withoutthe need to look at a separate display monitor.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary ophthalmic surgical microscope 100having integrated OCT and display systems, according to certainembodiments of the present disclosure. Ophthalmic surgical microscope100 may facilitate magnified viewing of a patient's eye 102 during asurgical procedure and may generally include eyepieces 104, a relay lens106, magnifying/focusing optics 108, an objective lens 110, and surgicalviewing optics 112. Each of eyepieces 104, relay lens 106,magnifying/focusing optics 108, objective lens 110, and surgical viewingoptics 112 may include any suitable optical components as understood bypersons of ordinary skill in the art. Ophthalmic surgical microscope 100may additionally include an integrated OCT system 114 operable togenerate OCT images of the patient's eye 102 and a real-time dataprojection unit 116 operable to display those OCT images to a surgeonvia one or both eyepieces 104. The location at which OCT system 114 isintegrated into surgical microscope 100 (as discussed in further detailbelow) may advantageously allow the OCT scan range to be automaticallyadjusted as a surgeon manipulates the microscope field of view via themagnifying/focusing optics 108. Moreover, real-time data projection unit116 may advantageously allow a surgeon to view the OCT images generatedby OCT system 114 without the need to look at a separate displaymonitor.

OCT system 114 may include a light source/analyzing unit 118 and a beamscanner 120. In general, light source/analyzing unit 118 may generate anOCT imaging beam 122 and beam scanner 120 (in conjunction with otheroptical components of the surgical microscope) may direct the generatedOCT imaging beam 122 to a particular region within the patient's eye102. Reflections of the OCT imaging beam 122 from the particular regionwithin the patient's eye 102 (reflected OCT imaging beam 124) may returnto light source/analyzing unit 118 along the same optical path as OCTimaging beam 122, and light source/analyzing unit 118 may generate OCTimages of the particular region by determining interference between thereflections 124 and a reference arm of the OCT imaging beam 122. Thepresent disclosure contemplates that OCT system 114 may include anysuitable additional optical components for manipulating OCT imaging beam122 as would be understood by those of skill in the art, and thoseadditional components are not depicted/described for the sake ofsimplicity.

In certain embodiments, the OCT imaging beam 122 may comprise aninfrared or near infrared light beam covering a relatively narrow bandof wavelengths (e.g., 830 nm-870 nm, 790 nm-900 nm, 950 nm-1150 nm).However, an OCT imaging beam 122 having any suitable spectral range maybe used. The OCT imaging beam 122 may pass through beam scanner 120(described in further detail below) along with any other suitableoptical components of OCT system 114 (not depicted, as described above).OCT imaging beam 122 may then be directed to the patient's eye 102 viaone or more of the above-described optical components of surgicalmicroscope 100 (as described in further detail below).

Beam scanner 120 may comprise any suitable optical component orcombination of optical components facilitating focusing of the OCTimaging beam 122 in the X-Y plane. For example, beam scanner 120 mayinclude one or more of a pair of scanning mirrors, a micro-mirrordevice, a MEMS based device, a deformable platform, a galvanometer-basedscanner, a polygon scanner, and/or a resonant PZT scanner. In certainembodiments, the position of the optical components of beam scanner 120may be manipulated in an automated manner. As just one example, beamscanner 120 may comprise a pair of scanning mirrors each coupled to amotor drive, the motor drives operable to rotate the mirrors aboutperpendicular axes. As a result, by controlling the position of thecoupled motors (e.g., according to a pre-determined or selected scanpattern), the X-Y positioning of OCT imaging beam 122 within thepatient's eye 102 can be controlled. Additionally, the depth of focus ofthe OCT imaging beam 122 may be controlled by one or more othercomponents of OCT system 114 as is understood in the art in order tofacilitate 3-D OCT imaging.

As described above, reflected OCT beam 124 may return to OCT system 114along substantially the same optical path as traveled by OCT imagingbeam 122. Once reflected OCT beam 124 reaches light source/analyzingunit 118, light source/analyzing unit 118 may construct an OCT image(A-scan) based on interference between the reflected OCT beam 124 and areference arm of OCT imaging beam 122 (as is known in the art).Moreover, by moving the imaging beam in the X-Y plane via beam scanner120 and/or changing the depth of focus of the imaging beam 122, aplurality of OCT images (A-scans) may be generated and combined into anOCT cross sectional image (B-scan), and a plurality of those crosssectional images (B-scans) may be combined to generate a 3-D OCT image.

In certain embodiments, OCT system 114 may be integrated into surgicalmicroscope 100 via a beam coupler 126 located in the optical path of thesurgical microscope 100. Beam coupler 126 may include an optical elementconfigured to reflect wavelengths in the spectral range of the OCTimaging beam 122 (e.g., infrared wavelengths) while allowing passage oflight in the visible spectrum passing through surgical microscope 100.As one example, beam coupler 126 may comprise one of a dichroic hotmirror, a polarizing beamsplitter, and a notch filter.

In certain embodiments, beam coupler 126 may be located along theoptical path between the surgical viewing optics 112 and an eyepiece104. Surgical viewing optics 112 may include a drop-on macular lens,contact-based wide-angle lens, noncontact-based viewing system such as(binocular indirect ophthalmomicroscope) BIOM, or any other suitableviewing optics. More particularly, beam coupler 126 may be located alongthe optical path between magnifying/focusing optics 108 and an eyepiece104. As a result, OCT imaging beam 122 will pass throughmagnifying/focusing optics 108, allowing the OCT scan range to beautomatically adjusted as a surgeon manipulates the microscope field ofview via the magnifying/focusing optics 108. The present disclosurecontemplates that, although not depicted, OCT system 114 mayadditionally include any suitable optical components facilitatingappropriate focus of OCT imaging beam 122 within the patient's eye 102in light of the fact that the OCT imaging beam 116 passes throughmagnifying/focusing optics 108 and objective lens 110.

In certain embodiments, OCT system 114 may generate a visible aimingbeam (not depicted) in addition to OCT imaging beam 122. This visibleaiming beam may be visible to the surgeon via eyepieces 104 and mayassist the surgeon in directing OCT imaging. In such embodiments, beamcoupler 126 may be configured to reflect both the spectral range of theOCT imaging beam 122 (e.g., infrared wavelengths) and a narrow band ofvisible light (the aiming beam falling within that narrow band) whileallowing passage of visible light passing through surgical microscope100 that falls outside the narrow band of the aiming beam.

The OCT image(s) generated by OCT system 114 (identified in FIG. 1 byreference numeral 128), which may include an A-scan, a B-scan, ora 3-DOCT image constructed by combining a plurality of B-scans as describedabove, may be communicated to real-time data projection unit 116 fordisplay to a surgeon via one or both eyepieces 104. Real-time dataprojection unit 116 may include any suitable device for projecting animage and may include any suitable optics (not depicted) for focusingthat image. For example, real-time data projection unit 116 may compriseone of a heads-up-display, a one-dimensional display array, atwo-dimensional display array, a screen, a projector device, or aholographic display.

In certain embodiments, real-time data projection unit 116 may beintegrated into surgical microscope 100 via a beam splitter 130 locatedin the optical path of the surgical microscope 100. Beam splitter 130may include an optical element configured to reflect the projected imagegenerated by real-time data projection unit 116 toward eyepiece(s) 104without substantially interfering with visible light reflected from thepatient's eye 102.

In certain embodiments, surgical microscope 100 may additionally includea probe-based OCT system 134. Probe-based OCT system 134 may generateOCT images 136 is substantially the same manner as described above withregard to OCT system 114 except that the OCT imaging beam generated byprobe-based OCT system 134 may be directed within the patient's eye 102using a probe 138 inserted into the patient's eye 102. In embodimentsincluding both an OCT system 114 and a probe-based OCT system 134,surgical microscope 100 may additionally include a source selection unit140. Source selection unit 140 may include any suitable switch allowingselection either OCT images 128 (generated by OCT system 114) or OCTimages 136 (generated by probe-based OCT system 134) for communicationto real-time data projection unit 116 or display 132. As a result, asurgeon may select which OCT imaging system to use for imaging duringsurgery.

In certain embodiments, the OCT images projected by real-time dataprojection unit 116 (e.g., OCT images 128 and/or OCT images 136) may bedisplayed as a semitransparent overlay aligned with the visiblestructures viewed by the surgeon via eyepieces 104. In such embodiments,alignment between the OCT images and the actual structures of the eyemay be achieved, for example, based on retinal tracking (describedfurther below), instrument tracking (described further below), an aimingbeam, or any combination thereof.

In certain other embodiments, the OCT images projected by real-time dataprojection unit 116 may be displayed in a corner of the field of view ofthe surgeon or any other suitable location in which they do notsubstantially impair the surgeon's ability to view the eye 102 througheyepieces 104.

Although real-time data projection unit 116 is described above asprojecting OCT images 128 and/or OCT images 136 into the optical path ofthe surgical microscope 100 such that they are viewable througheyepiece(s) 104, the present disclosure contemplates that real-time dataprojection unit 116 may, additionally or alternatively, project anyother suitable information (e.g., extracted and/or highlightedinformation from OCT data, fundus images, surgical parameters, surgicalpatterns, surgical indicators, etc.) into the optical path of thesurgical microscope 100, according to particular needs.

In certain embodiments, surgical microscope 100 may additionally includean imaging unit 142 and a tracking unit 144. As described in furtherdetail below, imaging unit 142 and tracking unit 144 may collectivelyfacilitate OCT imaging that tracks the location of a surgical instrument146 within the patient's eye 102. Additionally or alternatively, imagingunit 142 and tracking unit 144 may collectively facilitate OCT imagingthat tracks the retina of the patient's eye 102.

Imaging unit 142 may include any suitable device for generating a fundusimage 148 of a patient's eye 102 and may include suitable magnificationand focusing optics (not depicted) for performing that function. As asimplified example, visible or near infrared light 150 reflected by thepatient's eye 102 along the optical path of surgical microscope 100 maybe directed toward imaging unit 142 via a mirror 152 placed along theoptical path and operable to partially reflect such light. In certainembodiment, fundus images 148 may be discrete still photographs of thepatient's eye 102. In other embodiment, the fundus image 148 maycomprise a continuous video stream of the patient's eye 102. Exampleimaging units may include digital video cameras, line scanophthalmoscopes or confocal-scanning ophthalmoscopes.

In the depicted embodiment, because the visible or near infrared light150 is sampled from the optical path before OCT images are introducedinto the optical path via real-time data projection unit 116, thegenerated fundus images 148 will not include the projected OCT images(which may be beneficial for the instrument tracking described below).Although imaging unit 142 is depicted and described as being located atparticular position relative to the optical components of the surgicalmicroscope 100 and OCT system 114, the present disclosure contemplatesthat imaging unit 142 may be placed at any suitable location relative tothose components, according to particular needs.

Tracking unit 144 of surgical microscope 100 may be generally operableto determine the location and motion of surgical instrument 146 withinthe patient's eye 102 based at least in part on fundus images 148generated by imaging unit 142. Tracking unit 144 may include anysuitable combination of hardware, firmware, and software. In certainembodiments, tracking unit 144 may include a processing module 154 and amemory module 156. Processing module 154 may include one or moremicroprocessors, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), controllers, orany other suitable computing devices or resources. Processing module 154may work, either alone or with other components depicted in FIG. 1, toprovide the functionality described herein. Memory module 156 may takethe form of volatile or non-volatile memory including, withoutlimitation, magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM),read-only memory (ROM), removable media, or any other suitable memorycomponent.

Tracking unit 144 may be programmed to (or may store software in memorymodule 156 that, when executed by processing module 154, is operable to)process the fundus images 148 generated by imaging unit 142 to determineand track the location of surgical instrument 146 within the patient'seye 102. For example, the processing module 154 may receive and processthe images acquired by the imaging unit 142. The memory module 156 ofthe tracking unit 144 may store the pre-processed and/or post-processedimage data. The processing module 154 may detect and calculate thelocation and/or orientation (or the change of the location andorientation) of the surgical instrument 146 in the surgical field basedon the fundus images 148. Although tracking unit 144 is primarilydescribed as tracking the location of a surgical instrument 146 within apatient's eye, the present disclosure contemplates that, additionally oralternatively, tracking unit 144 may track the location and/or motion ofthe patient's eye itself.

Tracking unit 144 may be communicatively coupled (via wired or wirelesscommunication) to OCT system 114, and tracking unit 144 may beprogrammed to (or may store software in memory module 156 that, whenexecuted by processing module 154, is operable to) generate signals 158to be communicated to OCT system 114 to cause beam scanner 120 of OCTsystem 114 to direct the location of the OCT imaging beam 122 within thepatient's eye 102.

For example, the signals 158 may be generated based on the determinedlocation of the surgical instrument 146 within the patient's eye 102,and beam scanner 120 of OCT system 114 may direct OCT imaging beam 122to a location in the vicinity of the tip of the surgical instrument 146.As a result, the OCT images 128 may be generated in an area of mostinterest to the surgeon. Moreover, in embodiments in which the OCTimages 128 are displayed as a semi-transparent overlay in the field ofview of the microscope, the tracking of the surgical instrument 146 mayadditionally facilitate proper positioning of that overlay.

As another example, the signals 158 may be generated based on adetermined location of the retina of the patient's eye 102 (determinedby tracking unit 144 by processing fundus images 148 in a manner similarto that discussed above with regard to tracking surgical instrument146), and beam scanner 120 of OCT system 114 may direct OCT imaging beam122 to constant location relative to the retina. Moreover, inembodiments in which the OCT images 128 are displayed as asemi-transparent overlay in the field of view of the microscope, thetracking of the retina may additionally facilitate proper positioning ofthat overlay.

Although surgical microscope 100 is depicted and described as includingOCT images displayed through a fixed, single channel (i.e., real-timedata projection unit 116 is coupled to the optical path of one of thetwo eyepieces 104), other embodiments are contemplated by the presentdisclosure (as described with regard to FIGS. 2A-2B, 3-4, and 5A-5C,below).

FIGS. 2A-2B illustrate embodiments of ophthalmic surgical microscope 100having switchable single channel data injection, according to certainembodiments of the present disclosure. Although FIGS. 2A-2B do notdepict certain components of ophthalmic surgical microscope 100 asdepicted in FIG. 1 for the sake of simplicity, the present disclosurecontemplates that those components be included and that they function insubstantially the same manner as described above with regard to FIG. 1.

In the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 2A-2B, ophthalmic surgicalmicroscope 100 includes a real-time data projection unit 116 capable ofsingle channel data injection (i.e., the images injected by real-timedata projection unit 116 are viewable through only one of the twoeyepieces 104, as in FIG. 1). However, unlike the embodiment depicted inFIG. 1, the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 2A-2B provides the ability tochange which channel (i.e., eyepiece 104) onto which the data isinjected. More particularly, FIG. 2A depicts an embodiment in which oneor both of real-time data projection unit 116 and beam splitter 130 cantranslate side to side in order to change the channel onto which data isinjected while FIG. 2B depicts an embodiment in which the assembly ofreal-time data projection unit 116 and beam splitter 130 rotatable abouta midpoint of surgical microscope 100 in order to change the channelonto which data is injected. As a result, a surgeon may be provided theflexibility to select which eye is used to view the injected data.

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of ophthalmic surgical microscope 100having two-channel data injection, according to certain embodiments ofthe present disclosure. Although FIG. 3 does not depict certaincomponents of ophthalmic surgical microscope 100 as depicted in FIG. 1for the sake of simplicity, the present disclosure contemplates thatthose components be included and that they function in substantially thesame manner as described above with regard to FIG. 1.

In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 3, surgical microscope 100 include asingle real-time data projection unit 116 and two beam splitters 130(130 a and 130 b) each associated with a corresponding channel of themicroscope. Beam splitters 130 a and 130 b may be configured such thatthe data projected by real-time data projection unit 116 is duplicatedand viewable via both of the eyepieces 104. Reflectivities of the beamsplitters 130 a and 130 b may be selected such that the brightness ofthe image viewable through each eyepiece 104 is the same. Moreover, beamsplitters may be movable in order to change the shifted within thesurgeon's field of view. Alternatively, movement within the surgeon'sfield of view may be achieved by placing a beam deflection device (e.g.,an acoustical optical deflector) in the optical path of the imageprojected by real-time data projection unit 116.

FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment of ophthalmic surgicalmicroscope 100 having two-channel data injection, according to certainembodiments of the present disclosure. Although FIG. 4 does not depictcertain components of ophthalmic surgical microscope 100 as depicted inFIG. 1 for the sake of simplicity, the present disclosure contemplatesthat those components be included and that they function insubstantially the same manner as described above with regard to FIG. 1.

In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 4, two real-time data projectionunits 116 are includes (116 a and 116 b). Each real-time data projectionunit projects an image, which is coupled into the optical path of thesurgical microscope by a corresponding beam splitter 130. Because eachreal-time data projection unit can inject a unique image, the embodimentof FIG. 4 may facilitate 3-D perception. More particularly, eachreal-time data projection unit 116 may project the same image but withslightly different perspectives so as to provide 3-D perception whenviewed through eyepieces 104.

FIGS. 5A-5C illustrate embodiments of ophthalmic surgical microscope 100having two-channel data injection with 3-D perception, according tocertain embodiments of the present disclosure. Although FIGS. 5A-5C donot depict certain components of ophthalmic surgical microscope 100 asdepicted in FIG. 1 for the sake of simplicity, the present disclosurecontemplates that those components be included and that they function insubstantially the same manner as described above with regard to FIG. 1.

In the embodiments depicted in FIGS. 5A-5C, 3-D perception isfacilitated using one real-time data projection unit 116 rather than two(as in the embodiment described above with regard to FIG. 4). In theembodiment depicted in FIG. 5A, a single real-time data projection unit116 projects side-by-side images, which may be slightly different toprovide 3-D perception (as described above). The projected side-by-sideimages may be split by a beam splitter 500 and projected into eacheyepiece 104 by beam splitter 130 a and 130 b. In certain embodiments,filters 502 a and 502 b may also be placed in the optical path of theprojected images to further facilitate 3-D perception.

In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 5B, real-time data projection unit116 may project a color-coded image (such as a red and cyan coded imagein anaglyph), and that color coded image may pass through beam splitters504 a and 504 b to be directed toward the two channels of surgicalmicroscope 100. Filters 506 a and 506 b may be placed in the opticalpath of the image for each channel to separate the color-codedinformation. For example, filter 506 a (such as a red filter) may beinserted into the left channel and filter 506 b (such as a cyan filter)may be added to the right channel to separate the red/cyan informationin the projected image. By properly calibrating the projected image, 3-Dperception may be provided without the need for the surgeon to wearextra glasses or optical devices.

In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 5C, real-time data display unit 116may be a polarized display/projector (such as a polarization modulatedprojector) and may project a polarization encoded image. The projectedpolarization encoded image may pass through polarizing beam splitters508 a and 508 b to be divided between the two channels. For example, a ppolarized image may be split into one eye (designated as 510 a) while ans polarized image will be split into the other eye (designated as 510b). Additionally or alternatively, by inserting wave plates 512 a and512 b into the two channels, a left hand circular polarized image may besplit into one eye while a right hand circular polarized image may besplit into the other eye. By properly calibrating the projected image,3-D perception may be provided without the need for the surgeon to wearextra glasses or optical devices.

It will be appreciated that various of the above-disclosed and otherfeatures and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirablycombined into many other different systems or applications. It will alsobe appreciated that various presently unforeseen or unanticipatedalternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may besubsequently made by those skilled in the art which alternatives,variations and improvements are also intended to be encompassed by thefollowing claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An ophthalmic surgical microscope, comprising: anoptical coherence tomography (OCT) system comprising an OCT light sourcefor generating an OCT imaging beam; a beam coupler for directing the OCTimaging beam along an optical path to a patient's eye, wherein at leasta portion of the OCT imaging beam reflected by the patient's eye isreturned to the OCT system, and wherein the OCT system generates an OCTimage based on the reflected portion of the OCT imaging beam; areal-time data projection unit for encoding the OCT image as apolarization-encoded OCT image and projecting the polarization-encodedOCT image; a first beamsplitter for directing the OCT image projected bythe real-time data projection to a first eyepiece of the ophthalmicsurgical microscope such that the OCT image projected by the real-timedata projection unit is viewable through the first eyepiece; a secondbeamsplitter directs the OCT image projected by the real-time dataprojection unit to a second eyepiece of the ophthalmic microscope; afirst polarization beamsplitter configured to split thepolarization-encoded OCT image into a first polarization-encoded OCTimage and a second polarization-encoded OCT image and to direct thefirst polarization-encoded OCT image toward the first beamsplitter, areflector to direct the second polarization-encoded OCT image toward asecond beamsplitter; a first wave plate positioned between the firstpolarization beamsplitter and the first beamsplitter, wherein the firstwave plate creates a left hand circular polarized image from the firstpolarization-encoded OCT image; and a second wave plate positionedbetween the second polarization beamsplitter and the secondbeamsplitter, wherein the second wave plate creates a right handcircular polarized image from the second polarization-encoded OCT image;wherein the first beamsplitter directs the left hand circular polarizedimage along a portion of the optical path of the ophthalmic surgicalmicroscope such that the left hand circular polarized image is viewablethrough the first eyepiece, wherein the second beamsplitter directs theright hand circular polarized image along a second portion of theoptical path of the ophthalmic surgical microscope such that the righthand circular polarized image is viewable through the second eyepiece,and wherein the right hand circular polarized image and the left handcircular polarized image generates 3-D perception of the OCT image inthe first and second eyepiece.